Meet Andrew Hosler | Artistic Director of The _____ Experiment, Saxophone Instructor, Cleveland Institute of Music Academy

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrew Hosler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrew, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The _____ Experiment started as friends who wanted to make music together and has continued to be just that. Our goal is to present new music in an approachable way. We believe that new music can be (and should be) for everybody, and we hope to showcase that with our diverse programming. Our goal is for everyone to walk away from a TBE concert having liked something. No one should say they “do not like new music” because there is something out there for everybody.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
New music often has a negative connotation in the “classical music” community. It is seen as nonsensical and unintelligible rambling and collection of random sounds. I try to disprove that and showcase that anything and everything is being written in the 21st century.

My first introduction to new music would have been my freshman year in high school playing John Mackey’s Strange Humors for saxophone quartet and djembe. From there I knew I wanted to pursue a career in new music, chamber music, and music in general.

Another thing that has stuck with me was my freshman year of undergrad when talking to saxophonist Nick Zoulek about how to make a name for yourself in new music and he said “you have to be a good hang.” You must be nice and pleasant to be around.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Being in Lakewood we are surrounded by wonderful food, drinks, and activities. For food I would go to Joes Deli in Rocky River, Western Reserve Distillers in Lakewood, and Barrio in Lakewood. We would get drinks at Tapster in Lakewood, and Third Place in Cleveland. We would visit University Circle: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art, Severance Hall. We would also visit places like Kaiser Gallery, West Side Market, and go see a baseball game (Guardians, Crushers, and/or Captains!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are too many to count! To name just three: my teachers – John Sampen and Tim McAllister both inspired me to pursue new music and helped me learn how to navigate a career within new music. The late Ryan Muncy was a saxophonist I heard early in my career and I continue to be inspired by, he is one of the greatest musicians of the 21st century.

Website: https://andrewhosler.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hoslerdrew/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-hosler-a155811b7/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HoslerDrew

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drew.hosler/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/0109drew